Silly secession talk entices the lazy, ignores strengths

Those hoping for an end to the loonier moments in our recent history with the conclusion of the presidential campaign woke up to face reality. There is a pool of stupidity that defies all attempts to drain it.

Take the backers and supporters of the secession movement. Granted, a lot of this is people bored out of their minds with no will to get out and make a difference for their community, people who think it's fun to be a part of something requiring little thought or input. They want to belong.

There are some for whom this is no joke. They exist in 50 states, including New Jersey. The one in Texas is getting the most attention because it had more than 100,000 signatures less than two weeks after President Barack Obama won re-election. (One has to believe some of the 100,000 wanting to get Texas out of the union were actually from Texas.) Here's the petition:

"The US continues to suffer economic difficulties stemming from the federal government's neglect to reform domestic and foreign spending. The citizens of the US suffer from blatant abuses of their rights such as the NDAA, the TSA, etc. Given that the state of Texas maintains a balanced budget and is the 15th largest economy in the world, it is practically feasible for Texas to withdraw from the union, and to do so would protect it's (sic) citizens' standard of living and re-secure their rights and liberties in accordance with the original ideas and beliefs of our founding fathers which are no longer being reflected by the federal government."

That was courtesy of someone named Micah H. of Arlington, Texas, who apparently doesn't think enough of his effort to sign his whole name to it. Come to think of it, a lot of these petitions are like that. Like I keep telling people who send me anonymous e-mail: Why should you think anyone would take you seriously if you don't think enough of your thoughts to claim them with a name? (Nobody remembers that guy back in 1776 as J. Hancock, after all.) Micah might also brush up on his grammar if he wants to lead a revolution down there in the Lone Star State.

I think we need some big changes, too. Anyone who flies a lot runs into the inconsistency of the TSA at airports, for instance, and wonders if this is about security or theater to make it look like there is security. Some of these people would match wits with a turnip and lose. Who thinks Texas would run airports without security? And how would you like to fly from Dallas to New York as an international passenger with the extra paperwork? Who's going to pay for Social Security and Medicare when Washington is out of the picture?

Whoever he is, Micah H. wasn't the first Texan to bring up secession in recent times. Gov. Rick Perry several years back refused to rule out the possibility his state could pull out of the union if things didn't improve.

CNN reported Perry told a Tea Party meeting in 2009:

"There's a lot of different scenarios. We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot."

As for this 2012 movement from Micah H., the Dallas Morning News reported that Perry through his press secretary said the governor "believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing should be done to change it. But he also shares the frustrations many Americans have with our federal government. Now more than ever our country needs strong leadership from states like Texas, that are making tough decisions to live within their means, keep taxes low and provide opportunities to job creators so their citizens can provide for their families and prosper."

Heck, we're all frustrated at the way things are going, and this isn't the first time we've felt like this. Lots of us have been disappointed at election outcomes. But we don't act like spoiled kids who don't get their way, take their football and go home. Americans who love and believe in this country don't run - we analyze the problem, work out solutions and get to work fixing things.

A friend named Wally was career military; he retired as a captain due to injuries suffered on duty. He works with other injured vets, helping them return to civilian life. He liked Mitt Romney. I asked him what he thought about secession:

"The United States is one nation; we have the vote to decide our elections. We do not do it under arms or force. If you do not like it, get involved and change it by talking and debating. We do not destroy it because we did not get our way. We should be proud that we had an open and free election. Voted for a leader and the loser was not taken out and shot. That is not the American way nor is not supporting the legally elected Commander in Chief. Our President, no matter who he or she is needs our support. Americans are smart. If the President strays too far, the people right the ship."

Amen to that. There is a federal election every two years; it's a kind of built-in revolution.

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Silly secession talk entices the lazy, ignores strengths

Those hoping for an end to the loonier moments in our recent history with the conclusion of the presidential campaign woke up to face reality. There is a pool of stupidity that defies all attempts to

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